Rob Gronkowski and Shaquille O’Neal are Putting Their Partying Skills to the Test for Social Justice
Rob Gronkowski and Shaquille O’Neal dominated their respective sports due in large part to their rare physical gifts. Gronk utilized his 6-foot-6, 265-pound frame to make linebackers and safeties look overmatched with the New England Patriots. Shaq’s 7-foot-1 frame and uncanny athleticism made him the most unstoppable force in NBA history.
For all of their athletic accomplishments, Gronk and Shaq deserve praise for their branding and marketing power. Both have loyal followings that love to laugh at their entertaining exploits. Now, the two athletic forces will combine their star power to take on some crazy challenges for charity.
Rob Gronkowski and Shaquille O’Neal have huge personalities to go along with Hall of Fame careers
Rob Gronkowski never pretended to be anyone else in his nine years in New England. That must have been difficult considering he worked for Bill Belichick. Still, Gronk’s fun-loving attitude and silliness off the field never jeopardized his football career. A notoriously hard worker, the 2010 second-round pick couldn’t be stopped when healthy.
As Tom Brady’s most trusted target, Gronkowski racked up prolific stats despite missing ample time. Though he played 16 games just once, he still caught 79 touchdowns in 115 regular-season games. He also caught 12 postseason touchdowns in 16 games.
From a personality standpoint, the four-time All-Pro couldn’t have been any different than his head coach. While Belichick treats the media like an annoying scab, Gronk provided plenty of laughs for Patriots fans and even non-sports folk with his social media posts, memorable quotes, and of course, his famous Gronk Spike.
Of course, Shaquille O’Neal built a brand of his own due to his larger-than-life personality. His basketball career speaks for itself. But what makes Shaq relevant even today is his ability to entertain and connect with people. Kobe Bryant’s former sidekick has been a mainstay on TV and even dabbles in the DJ game.
Gronk and Shaq will square off in unique challenges for charity
As two of the biggest sports personalities today, Rob Gronkowski and Shaquille O’Neal possess individual star power. But what about if they combined forces? Well, we’re about to find out just how fun Gronk and Shaq can be as they prepare to party with a purpose.
According to USA Today, the duo will host “Shaq’s Fun House vs. Gronk Beach” on Saturday, June 25. This virtual, live-streamed party will air live on TikTok beginning at 8 p.m. Viewers can also join on www.ShaqVsGronk.com.
So what exactly will this super-sized party include? Besides musical performances by Snoop Dogg, Diplo, and Steve Aoki, virtual attendees will get a chance to see Gronk and Shaq square off in six challenges with the winner of each event donating to a charity in his name. Events include jousting, a HORSE competition, a lip-syncing battle, and the Buffalo Wild Wings Blazin’ Challenge.
O’Neal will donate his winnings to the Boys & Girls Club. Gronkowski chose the NAACP as his charity. Of course, Shaq quickly disparaged any detractors who fail to see the bigger picture in the live-streamed party.
“We’re partying with a purpose. I don’t want everyone to think ‘Oh, those guys are just partying.’ Because we know for a fact, and research has been done, especially by myself, music and sports bring people together. Doesn’t matter what your agendas are. Those two things always bring people together and Gronk and I happen to dominate both.”
Will Tom Brady’s trusted tight end live up to the hype on the football field?
While Rob Gronkowski faces a formidable opponent in the 48-year-old O’Neal, he has a tall task ahead on the football field. Though he gets to catch passes from Tom Brady, Gronk must prove he’s healthy and able to get separation from defenders. That last part proved difficult during his final year in New England.
Don’t forget that the 31-year-old spent an entire year away from football. He also lost a ton of weight after retiring, though he has packed some of it back on. Gronkowski struggled to stay healthy (to put it mildly) during his nine-year Patriots career. Is he really going to make it through the 2020 season unscathed after sitting out last year?
Ultimately, Rob Gronkowski’s NFL story has already been written. He’s won three Super Bowl rings and should be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Even if he doesn’t live up to expectations in Tampa, at least he and Shaquille O’Neal will use their star power to make a real difference in the world.
